Can You Identify These Australian Reptiles?

By: Jacqueline Samaroo
Image: Kristian Bell/Moment Open/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Don't be scared, these pictures won't bite!

The animals of Australia are primarily known for two things: being extremely weird (like the platypus and the echidna) or being extremely deadly (like the inland taipan and the saltwater crocodile). Seriously, the animals of Australia are no laughing matter! While Australia's spiders -- and their scary sizes -- seem to be what most foreigners focus on, true Australians know what the most fearsome selection of animals in the country are ... the reptiles!

In fact, Australia is home to more deadly snakes than any other country in the world. It is also home to the most venomous snake in the world, the inland taipan, and the most massive reptile alive today, the saltwater crocodile! We've collected a diverse selection of Australia's reptiles, from the smallest to the scariest, and put them together in this scaly quiz. So, are you ready to visit one of the places where nature is at its deadliest? Then be on your guard, and let's jump right in and get started!

The green tree python is a species of snake that can be found in the northeastern tip of Australia, New Guinea and parts of Indonesia. It is a relatively massive snake, able to reach up to 2 meters in length.

This reptile is the saltwater crocodile, a species of crocodilian that is found primarily in the northern reaches of Australia, Oceania, India and Southeast Asia. It is notable for being the largest reptile in the world, with the largest recorded lengths reaching up to 23 feet (7 meters).

The perentie is a species of large monitor lizard that is endemic to Australia. It is the fourth largest lizard in the world and is notable for its shy disposition.

This reptile is the eastern bearded dragon, a species of agamid lizard that is native to Australia. It is notable for its shiny, dark scales, which it can raise to form a “beard” when it is threatened.

The yellow-bellied sea snake is a species of sea snake that can be found in tropical waters around Australia and the rest of the world, except the Atlantic Ocean (meaning it can be found from the western coast of the Americas to the eastern coast of Africa). This makes it one of the most widely distributed snakes in the world.

This reptile is the central netted dragon, a species of agamid lizard that is found primarily in arid regions of Australia. It is also known as the central netted ground dragon.

The Arafura file snake is a species of aquatic snake that can be found in northern Australia and parts of New Guinea. Its name comes from the Arafura Sea, which lies between Australia and Indonesian New Guinea.

This reptile is the Children’s python, a species of nonvenomous snake that is endemic to the northern reaches of Australia. Its name is a reference to British zoologist and chemist John George Children.

The Dubois’ sea snake is a species of venomous aquatic snake that can be found in Australia, New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea. They don’t lay eggs; instead, they give birth to live young.

This reptile is the pygmy python, a species of snake that is found primarily in Western Australia. Its name is a reference to the fact that it is the smallest python in the world.

The leatherback sea turtle is a species of reptile that can be found in waters all around the world. It is the largest turtle in the world and one of the heaviest reptiles alive.

This reptile is the black-headed monitor, a species of monitor lizard that is endemic to Australia. Compared to other monitor lizards, it is relatively small. It feeds primarily on insects, rodents and smaller lizards.

The spine-tailed sea snake is a species of aquatic reptile that can be found in Australia, Southern Asia and the South China Sea. It is fangless (having lost them over years of evolution) and feeds primarily on fish eggs.

This reptile is the lace monitor, a species of monitor lizard that is native to Australia. Their most common predators are birds of prey and the iconic Australian dingo.

The little file snake is a species of aquatic snake that can be found in the waters of South Asia, Oceania and Australia. It is at home in the water and helpless on land. It is also sometimes referred to as the little wart snake or the marine file snake.

This is the green sea turtle, a species of reptile that is found primarily in tropical and subtropical waters around the world. They are omnivores, with adults being primarily herbivorous and juveniles being primarily carnivorous.

The clawless gecko is a species of lizard that is native to Australia. It is notable for being the smallest species of nocturnal gecko that can be found in the country.

This reptile is the eastern long-necked turtle, a species of snake-necked turtle that is native to Australia. It doesn’t pull its head directly back into its shell; instead, it bends its head sideways into its shell.

The thick-tailed gecko is a species of lizard that is endemic to Australia. It is also known as the barking gecko because of the sound it makes when threatened.

This is the pig-nosed turtle, a species of reptile that is found primarily in southern New Guinea and northern Australia. It is also known as the Fly River turtle and the pitted-shelled turtle.

The inland taipan is a species of elapid snake that is native to Australia. It holds the distinction of being the most venomous snake in the world, with one bite being deadly enough to kill approximately 100 fully grown men.

This reptile is the mulga dragon, a species of lizard that is endemic to Western Australia. Its name come from its most common habitat in its home region – mulga trees.

The olive sea snake is a species of venomous aquatic snake that is native to the Indo-Pacific region. It has a paddle-shaped tail that it uses to swim. It is sometimes referred to as the olive-brown sea snake or the golden sea snake.

This reptile is the brown tree snake, a species of rear-fanged colubrid snake that is found primarily in Oceania and Southeast Asia. It is distinct for being one of the few colubrid snakes that can be found in Australia.

The spotted mulga snake is a species of reptile that is native to Western Australia. It is also known as the Butler's snake and the Butler's black snake.

This reptile is the dugite, a species of venomous snake that is found primarily in Western Australia. They are a protected animal, and hurting one can lead to a fine of up to 4,000 Australian dollars.

The frill-necked lizard is a species of small reptile that can be found in Australia and the southern reaches of New Guinea. They are a popular exotic pet and feed primarily on small vertebrates and insects.

This reptile is the spotted python, a species of snake that is found primarily in New Guinea and northern Australia. It is also known as the eastern Children’s python or the eastern small-blotched python.

The Kings’ monitor is a species of monitor lizard that is endemic to Australia. Despite its name, it is actually one of the smallest species of monitor lizards.

This reptile is the northern death adder, a species of snake that is found primarily in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Its venom can lead to flaccid paralysis and even death in humans by causing respiratory failure.

The dinner-plate turtle is a species of reptile that can be found in Australia. Compared with other turtles that can be found in Australian waters, very little is known about the dinner-plate turtle and its behaviors.

This reptile is the western netted dragon, a species of lizard that is found primarily in Australia. It is also known as the western netted ground-dragon and can reach average lengths of 4.2 inches (10.8 centimeters).

The northern spiny-tailed gecko is a species of lizard that is native to Australia. It has been observed in a wide range of colors, from black, grey and white to more vibrant oranges and browns.

This reptile is the desert death adder, a species of snake that is endemic to Australia. True to its name, it is notable for being one of the most dangerous snakes in Australia as well as one of the most venomous snakes in the world.

The western swamp turtle is a species of short-necked freshwater tortoise that can be found in Australia. It is also known as the western swamp tortoise and is classified as being critically endangered.

This reptile is the Burton’s legless lizard, a species of reptile that is found only in Australia and Papua New Guinea. While they may look like snakes and their name might suggest a complete absence of legs, they actually have relatively small (and fairly useless) hind legs.

The freshwater crocodile is a species of large reptile that is native to northern areas of Australia. It is also known as the Australian freshwater crocodile or the Johnstone's crocodile.

This reptile is the common death adder, a species of snake that is endemic to Australia. It is notable for being one of the most venomous snakes in the world and feeds on a diet of primarily small mammals and birds.

The western blue-tongued lizard is a species of skink that is endemic to Australia. The western blue-tongued lizard is not as agile as many other Australian lizards and primarily hunts slow-moving prey.

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